Toronto Star: Richard Griffin Mailbag

With Michael Kay off tracking down The Boy Most Likely To...we’re stuck with Griffin.

Q: I love the column Richard. I cannot understand why the Jays always talk about batting Lyle Overbay second. He hits a lot of doubles and gets on base, but with his power and lack of speed, I feel he is much better in an RBI spot than clogging the bases up top. Furthermore, not that the Jays usually play small ball, but I think it is a waste to take a potential double or homer away from Overbay in order to move the runner over.

I feel Aaron Hill is much better suited for second, good bat control, more speed and he can make contact the other way to move the runner over. When does Aaron get a chance? I’d love to read your thoughts on this.

A: The days of Overbay batting second are over. Last year, it was an early season plan because they wanted a lefthanded bat near the top of the order and believed that when the other team’s first baseman was holding a runner on, Lyle could shoot groundballs through the hole on the right.

Also, they did not want the doubles-hitting first-baseman batting behind the doubles-killing Frank Thomas who has clogged more arteries on the basepaths than a diet of buttered bacon and poutine. As for Aaron Hill, that’s not a bad choice, but unfortunately batting first or second last year Hill was 1-for-25 and manager Gibbons will not go back to that well. I would give him another shot, but hey, that’s me.